19 May 2004 13:14
Russian military to rely on piecemeal modernization - air force chief
[Presenter] In today's programme [Slavyanka programme sponsored by Ministry of Defence and broadcast on Radio
Russia] we are going to talk about modernization of hardware and weaponry in Russia's armed forces. Our
correspondent Oleg Ryazanov has prepared a report.
[Correspondent] Not every country is able to bring the very latest equipment into service, including Russia. This
depends on a lot of things, first and foremost the time-honoured problem of underfunding. Secondly, why buy something
new when the equipment you have now is in no way inferior? A solution to this was decided on a long time ago - it is
called modernization. Of course one has to have up-to-date equipment, and the Russian defence industry performs
excellently here. But at the moment we are only working on upgrading our armament, and our experience here is that this
is not such a bad thing. Take the air force: First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the air force Col-Gen Anatoliy
Nogovitsyn talks about the situation there.
[Nogovitsyn] There are plenty of new models of arms and equipment. Industry does not stand still and offers it to us.
We are not against that. However, the financial situation is such that, at the moment, having thought through our
options and bearing in mind that the task of the arms of the armed forces are extremely clear and that we will perform
this task successfully in all areas, we have come to the conclusion that relying only on new models of arms and
equipment, which do not all entirely meet the requirements of modern-day armed combat, is not the best option. I'll
just give you one example. Our partners in the USA, having brought into service state-of-the-art strategic bombers,
still retain the B-52 as their main bomber. Moreover, they have embarked on a programme to extend its service life to
2040; and that is modernization, they are bringing in refinements improving effectiveness and the like. Our aircraft
pool is very much newer in all respects, therefore we have chosen as our basic structure to develop new generation
armaments through modernization.
This is not an enforced measure. When we looked at this in more detail, we came to the conclusion this was essential,
because you can only make a breakthrough in new generation aircraft, in missile systems, in intelligence-gathering
systems after a process of evolution, of gathering statistics, first and foremost of modernization, of selecting those
models which do enable us to do our specific job and discarding what is not needed. That way you start with the fourth
generation plus aircraft, then the fifth generation and so on. There are no miracles. Without experimenting in various
directions you won't end up with a new machine.
[Correspondent] Russia's armed forces have to have up-do-date equipment, everyone knows that. But at the moment
we can't move forward from a standstill. We are happy with what we have, that's fine. But you won't get
far through modernization alone, let alone fly far. We'll hope for better things, as always.
[Radio Russia] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
